I generally don't watch television, but I do adore Game of Thrones. This post will be spoiler-ish, so if you don't want to read a spoiler, then stop now.

I was not happy with the way all my favorite characters were left in perilous, cliffhanger situations this time, or worse: dead.

Sansa - did she die when she jumped off the fort wall with Reek? I don't blame her for doing whatever it took to get away from that monster they made her marry, but sheesh. I hope she survives and that Brienne and Podrick will be able to save her.

Stannis - what a bastard! I can't believe he let that witch kill his daughter. Not worth it. The witch is awful, too. So glad Jon Snow resisted her - she's an ass. Her death will be one of the more welcome of the entire series.

Jon Snow - NOOOOOOO! He can't be dead! If he is the illegitimate offspring of Ileana and one of the Targaryans, then possibly he, like Danerys, can't be burnt. Maybe he'd be revived in a funeral pyre, particularly if someone else died? (Only death can pay for life). Whatever the case, I don't think he's dead. He can't be dead. It ruins all my plans for the show. So there.

Danerys is alone in the middle of all those Dothraki, who obviously know who she is. I think her red dragon will come save her. I also think her other dragons who are captive in the dungeon will break free when they realize their mummy is in peril. Having attack dragons is an excellent arrow in one's quiver. Whatever the case, I'm sure that after some brief struggle and blah blah blah, she'll add the entire Dothraki race to her growing list of subjects. It will be interesting when she crosses the narrow sea and takes back all of Westeros. Also, if Jon Snow is her half-brother, well, that would make for interesting alliances, as well.

Who among all the cast would know Jon Snow's actual parentage? I think Varys, but he also knows how to keep a secret. Still waiting on tenterhooks for that bit of info to trickle out.

In Season 1, Episode 8 (my favorite), Bran says that their brother Rob is going to King's Landing to bring back their father, mother and sisters, and Rickon, the baby, says "no, he won't." Such wisdom in such a wee lad - what did he know? He was absolutely right - did he know that most of his family was about to die? I was surprised there was no appearance of Bran or Rickon in this season, and I look forward to their return next season. Also, Osha needs to be in lots of future episodes - LOVE her. Natalia Tena is such a delight to watch.

Finally, my favorite character, Arya. The God of Many Faces knew who she is and what she is about from the time she arrived. She is a teenage girl who is proficient with a small sword called Needle, and every night she repeats a litany of the people she means to kill. The people on her list were the ones who killed her father, her mother and her brother. It's not like the people (or the god) in the temple in Braavos didn't know what her raison d'etre was when they gave her refuge in the temple. So why did they get all heavy on her when she killed one of the people on her list? After all, he very likely killed the First Sword of Braavos, a person of great local distinction, and he needed to die for that and many other reasons. I'm wondering about the God of Many Faces - seems a malevolent thing, at best. Anyway, Arya needs to get away from there, fast. If she is diminished and/or killed in the future, I'll be really pissed off.

I only have 9 or so months to wait to see how it unfolds next time, right? At least that will be something to look forward to during the Spring Semester. :)